Marijuana Addictions
Marijuana is as addictive as alcohol. Approximately 10% of people who smoke marijuana will get addicted to it. That means 90% of people can use it recreationally. But for the other 10%, marijuana is not a harmless herb.
One study looked at 2,446 young adults between the ages of 14-24, and followed them for a period of 4 years. Approximately 10% met the criteria for marijuana addiction. 17% experienced withdrawal when they stopped using, 14% had difficulty controlling their use, and 13% continued to use even though they had health problems due to their marijuana use.
Look at the self-test questionnaire page to see if you have an addiction.
Cross Addiction
Marijuana is one of the most difficult drugs to give up. Not because it’s more addictive than other drugs, but because addicts are more reluctant to let it go. They see it as their final vice.
If you want to recover from addiction, you also have to stop using marijuana. If you continue to use marijuana, you’re saying that you don’t want to change your life and you don’t want to learn new ways to relax, escape, and reward yourself, which means nothing will have changed.
The Consequences of Marijuana Use
Marijuana users are 4 times more likely to develop depression. One study looked at 1,920 people, and followed them for 16 years. It discovered that people who smoked marijuana were 4 times more likely to develop depression.
